Scottish Executive

Air Services

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government regarding the economic impact of any delay to the new air traffic control centre at Prestwick and, in particular, to seek an assurance that any discussions Her Majesty's Government has with European bodies on the Single European Sky Project will not result in any delay or jeopardy to the new air traffic control centre at Prestwick.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government about a wide range of matters including the issue of the New Scottish Centre (NSC) at Prestwick. The Executive supports the UK Government's commitment to the NSC and is keen for the project to be delivered as soon as it is feasible. The timetable will not be affected by the current negotiations on the Single Sky proposals.

Community Care

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26614 by Mr Frank McAveety on 2 July 2002, whether guidance issued to local authorities on 8 December 1999, in addition to confirming that community care plans should be used to report on the use of resources, also requires local authorities to consult local carers' organisations on the use of these resources and how this aspect of the Carers' Strategy is being monitored.

Mr Frank McAveety: The requirement that local authorities consult local carers' organisations on the use of the resources ear-marked under the Carers Strategy is set out in the strategy itself. This requirement was re-conveyed to local authorities in guidance issued by the Scottish Executive on 8 December 1999 and 27 April 2000. Community Care plans submitted to the Executive by local authorities should be accompanied by a letter from local carers' groups to indicate whether effective and meaningful consultation has taken place on spending proposals under the strategy.

Community Care

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26613 by Mr Frank McAveety on 2 July 2002, whether local outcome agreements with individual councils are already in place, giving the position for each local authority.

Mr Frank McAveety: We are progressing towards having agreements in place by 30 September 2002.

Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fines were recovered by civil diligence following the procedure under section 221 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995; what proportion this represents of the total number of all fines imposed; what the average value of fine recovered by civil diligence was following the procedure under section 221 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995; what the total value was of fines recovered under section 221 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995, and what proportion this represents of the total value of all fines imposed, all in total and broken down by sheriff court in each of the last three years.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information available is shown in the table. Information on the average and total value of fines recovered by civil diligence, and the proportion this represents of the total value of fines imposed, is not available.

  Number of Sheriff Court Fines Ordered for Recovery by Civil Diligence and Proportion This Represents of Total Fines Imposed1, 1999-2001

  


Sheriff Court


1999


2000


2001




Number of Fines


% of Total Fines Imposed


Number of Fines


% of Total Fines Imposed


Number of Fines


% of Total Fines Imposed




Aberdeen


3


0.1


2


0.1


0


0




Airdrie


1


0.1


2


0.2


1


0.1




Alloa


0


0


0


0


0


0




Arbroath


0


0


0


0


0


0




Ayr


1


0.1


1


0.1


0


0




Banff


1


0.3


0


0


0


0




Campbeltown


0


0


0


0


0


0




Cupar


0


0


0


0


0


0




Dingwall


1


0.3


0


0


0


0




Dornoch


0


0


0


0


0


0




Dumbarton


0


0


1


0.1


0


0




Dumfries


0


0


0


0


0


0




Dundee


1


0.1


0


0


0


0




Dunfermline


0


0


1


0.1


0


0




Dunoon


0


0


0


0


0


0




Duns


0


0


0


0


0


0




Edinburgh


2


0


1


0


5


0.1




Elgin


0


0


0


0


0


0




Falkirk


3


0.2


0


0


2


0.1




Forfar


0


0


0


0


0


0




Fort William


1


0.5


0


0


0


0




Glasgow


0


0


11


0.3


0


0




Greenock


0


0


0


0


1


0.2




Haddington


0


0


0


0


0


0




Hamilton


4


0.1


0


0


0


0




Inverness


1


0.1


0


0


0


0




Jedburgh


0


0


0


0


0


0




Kilmarnock


2


0.1


2


0.1


0


0




Kirkcaldy


0


0


0


0


0


0




Kirkcudbright


0


0


0


0


0


0




Kirkwall


1


0.4


0


0


0


0




Lanark


3


0.4


1


0.1


0


0




Lerwick


0


0


0


0


0


0




Linlithgow


1


0.1


0


0


0


0




Lochmaddy


0


0


0


0


0


0




Oban


0


0


0


0


0


0




Paisley


3


0.2


1


0.1


0


0




Peebles


0


0


0


0


0


0




Perth


0


0


0


0


1


0.1




Peterhead


0


0


0


0


0


0




Portree


0


0


0


0


0


0




Rothesay


0


0


0


0


0


0




Selkirk


0


0


0


0


0


0




Stirling


1


0.1


1


0.1


0


0




Stonehaven


5


0.9


2


0.5


0


0




Stornoway


0


0


0


0


0


0




Stranraer


0


0


0


0


0


0




Tain


0


0


0


0


1


0.3




Wick


0


0


0


0


0


0




Total


35


0.1


26


0.1


11


0.02




  Notes:

  1. Fines marked for recovery by civil diligence in whole or in part. There are no figures available on the actual amounts recovered.

Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what value of fiscal fines accepted as an alternative to prosecution under section 302 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 is presently outstanding, in total and broken down by sheriff court district.

Mr Jim Wallace: The value of fiscal fines currently outstanding is not held centrally. Information on the value of fiscal fines outstanding is collected from district courts on an annual basis as at the end of the financial year. Data for the most recent year available (to March 2001) are included in the answer to question S1W-27633.

Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what value of fiscal fines accepted as an alternative to prosecution under section 302 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 was outstanding on 31 March 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002, in total and broken down by sheriff court district.

Mr Jim Wallace: Fiscal fines are generally collected by the district courts and, as such, the information collated centrally and given in the following tables is by district court, rather than sheriff court. Information on the value of fiscal fines outstanding in Orkney and Shetland, where payment is made to the sheriff court, is not readily available from the information held centrally. Data for the year ending March 2002 are not yet available. Yearly totals for Scotland are not comparable due to data being unavailable for different courts in different years.

  Value (£) of Fiscal Fines Outstanding at Financial Year End

  


District Court


1997-98


1998-991


1999-20002


2000-013




Aberdeen City


1,470


7,238


13,042


5,562




Aberdeenshire


1,759


4,230


2,409


2,682




Angus


2,142


3,028


3,120


3,915




Argyll and Bute


N/A


611


635


243




Clackmannanshire


2,370


3,326


2,374


2,246




Dumfries and Galloway


4,875


5,399


10,109


5,225




Dundee City


3,492


3,532


7,316


4,106




East Ayrshire


1,475


1,870


2,047


3,680




East Dunbartonshire


2,139


3,571


2,698


11,514




East Lothian


631


486


247


195




East Renfrewshire


1,526


700


1,560


911




Edinburgh, City of


6,815


5,575


8,075


N/A




Eilean Siar


55


N/A


740


654




Falkirk


2,253


3,365


2,626


3,026




Fife


4,537


4,475


1,215


5,895




Glasgow City


N/A


N/A


89,255


105,783




Highland


11,524


6,255


32,310


7,166




Inverclyde


2,802


2,046


1,980


3,128




Midlothian


1,315


1,328


775


950




Moray


795


1,212


2,160


2,122




North Ayrshire


564


1,479


1,921


3,280




North Lanarkshire


N/A


N/A


N/A


N/A




Perth and Kinross


2,527


N/A


N/A


N/A




Renfrewshire


3,117


17,759


2,370


9,702




Scottish Borders


11,958


1,207


10,810


3,863




South Ayrshire


N/A


3,877


5,187


6,388




South Lanarkshire


3,543


8,810


9,163


18,823




Stirling


N/A


N/A


N/A


N/A




West Dunbartonshire


N/A


3,275


3,612


3,632




West Lothian


2,211


5,532


7,434


14,801




Scotland


75,894


100,184


225,188


229,488




  "N/A" denotes data not available.

  Notes:

  1. 1998-99: Figure shown for Fife is for Cupar only. Figure for South Lanarkshire excludes Lanark's figures, which are inseparable from court imposed fines.

  2. 1999-2000: Figure shown for Fife is for Cupar only. Figure for South Lanarkshire excludes Lanark's figures, which are inseparable from court imposed fines.

  3. Values for Fife exclude Kirkcaldy.

Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what value of district court fines is presently outstanding, in total and broken down by district court.

Mr Jim Wallace: The value of district court fines currently outstanding is not held centrally. Information on the value of district court fines outstanding is collected from district courts on an annual basis as at the end of the financial year. Data for the most recent year available (to March 2001) are included in the answer to question S1W-27635.

Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what value of district court fines was outstanding on 31 March 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002, in total and broken down by district court.

Mr Jim Wallace: The available information is given in the following table. Data for the year ending March 2002 are not yet available. Yearly totals for Scotland are not comparable due to data being unavailable in different courts in different years.

  Value (£) of Fines Imposed by District Court Outstanding at Financial Year End

  


District Court


1997-981, 2


1998-991, 3


1999-20001, 4


2000-015




Aberdeen City


172,968


170,154


146,067


174,041




Aberdeenshire


111,548


105,219


88,310


57,110




Angus


N/A


61,063


66,454


78,960




Argyll and Bute


13,928


18,591


10,622


15,440




Clackmannanshire


27,442


24,969


36,557


25,060




Dumfries and Galloway


128,215


91,070


93,166


73,779




Dundee City


108,800


107,749


141,223


117,039




East Ayrshire


N/A


N/A


N/A


26,698




East Dunbartonshire


23,055


19,308


17,353


10,955




East Lothian


18,136


23,076


17,437


20,690




East Renfrewshire


24,020


9,688


11,039


689




Edinburgh, City of


176,926


204,800


168,300


N/A




Eilean Siar


N/A


1,043


1,720


2,852




Falkirk


84,369


95,517


116,921


140,405




Fife


25,750


13,417


41,529


44,066




Glasgow City


N/A


N/A


1,363,032


859,316




Highland


124,384


155,406


114,759


114,639




Inverclyde


29,116


32,968


40,862


58,640




Midlothian


22,347


34,516


34,588


34,599




Moray


3,442


3,170


2,878


18,204




North Ayrshire


38,985


58,381


58,203


55,392




North Lanarkshire


165,000


N/A


N/A


N/A




Perth and Kinross


23,221


N/A


99,439


80,214




Renfrewshire


81,913


137,367


101,108


77,094




Scottish Borders


87,204


155,943


51,372


69,695




South Ayrshire


N/A


54,948


74,455


131,984




South Lanarkshire


148,938


270,753


234,924


237,096




Stirling


N/A


N/A


N/A


47,612




West Dunbartonshire


N/A


121,587


77,853


77,799




West Lothian


123,894


148,762


147,885


84,660




Scotland


1,763,600


2,119,465


3,358,056


2,734,731




  "N/A" denotes data not available.

  Notes

  1. Figures relate to fines initiated at the court, i.e. include fines transferred OUT but exclude fines transferred IN.

  2. 1997-98: Figure for Inverclyde is an estimate. Figure for North Lanarkshire excludes Coatbridge and Cumbernauld. Figure for South Lanarkshire excludes Rutherglen and includes compensation orders and (for Lanark) fiscal fines.

  3. 1998-99: Figure for Fife is for Cupar only.

  4. 1999-2000: Figure for Fife excludes Kirkcaldy. Figure for South Lanarkshire includes fiscal fines for Lanark court only.

  5. 2000-01: Figures for Angus, Glasgow and West Lothian include fines transferred out. Figure for Perth & Kinross includes fines transferred out and registered fines.

Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what value of sheriff court fines is presently outstanding, in total and broken down by sheriff court.

The Executive has provided a corrected table; see further answer on 27 August 2002

Mr Jim Wallace: The available information is detailed in the following table. The values of sheriff court fines outstanding at 30 June 2002 are the most recent that can be provided.

  Outstanding Balance of Sheriff Court Fines as at 30 June 2002 (£)

  


Sheriff Court


Value




Aberdeen


468,396




Airdrie


384,830




Alloa


149,863




Ayr


261,201




Arbroath


101,428




Banff


58,199




Campbeltown


34,887




Cupar


45,121




Dingwall


60,718




Dornoch


30,231




Dumbarton


215,343




Dumfries


204,962




Dundee


367,576




Dunfermline


293,219




Dunoon


40,671




Duns


31,963




Edinburgh


1,576,620




Elgin


231,562




Falkirk


426,205




Forfar


63,843




Fort William


44,772




Glasgow


1,902,524




Greenock


228,094




Haddington


108,883




Hamilton


657,684




Inverness


203,717




Jedburgh


83,715




Kilmarnock


525,015




Kirkcaldy


311,172




Kirkcudbright


61,847




Kirkwall


30,838




Lanark


87,331




Lerwick


31,651




Linlithgow


335,878




Lochmaddy


7,545




Oban


36,494




Paisley


612,914




Peebles


20,514




Perth


276,424




Peterhead


173,600




Portree


4,528




Rothesay


10,280




Selkirk


65,039




Stirling


161,553




Stonehaven


24,489




Stornoway


39,811




Stranraer


242,518




Tain


89,603




Wick


52,369




Total


9,112,413




  The Executive has provided a corrected table; see further answer on 27 August 2002

Drug Misuse

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources it envisages will be released as a result of the reclassification of cannabis in respect of (a) the police, (b) the procurator fiscal service, (c) the courts, (d) the Scottish Prison Service and (e) criminal justice social work services.

Dr Richard Simpson: While it is possible that the reclassification of cannabis will result in some redirection of resources, no estimates have been made of the impact on the different elements in the criminal justice system. The Executive and the criminal justice agencies in Scotland will continue to devote substantial effort and resources to tackling all aspects of drug misuse which cause harm to individuals and communities.

Drug Misuse

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to redirect any resources of the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency (SDEA) following the reclassification of cannabis.

Dr Richard Simpson: No. The SDEA was established to drive and co-ordinate an enhanced multi-agency response to the threat from drug trafficking and other forms of serious and organised crime in Scotland. That threat still exists, particularly from Class A drugs, and for so long as it does the SDEA will continue to have a vital role.

European Capital of Culture

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any estimate of the increase in visitors' spending which may result should the Inverness Highland bid to become the European Capital of Culture in 2008 be successful.

Dr Elaine Murray: The assessment of economic implications associated with the bid by Inverness Highland to become European Capital of Culture 2008 was obtained by the team developing the bid, and is reproduced in their application document. It estimates that, should the bid be successful, this may result in additional visitor spend for 2008 of over £230 million (at 2000 prices).

European Funding

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the uptake of European structural funds has been in each of the last two years.

Peter Peacock: The commitment of European structural funds in Scotland was £92.154 million in 2000 and £181.649 million in 2001. The following table breaks this down by fund. There was no commitment of structural funds in the three Objective 2 Programmes in 2000 as the programmes were not approved until 2001.

  


Fund


2000


2001




Western Scotland Objective 2 Programme


0


£21,099,000




East of Scotland Objective 2 Programme


0


£42,342,153




South of Scotland Objective 2 Programme


0


£19,380,444




Objective 3 (Scotland) Programme


£46,487,869


£57,905,848




Highlands and Islands Special Transitional Programme


£45,666,000


£40,921,285




Total


£92,153,869


£181,648,730

Fuel Poverty

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement it has had in the Government's working group on non-gas areas in order to raise the issue of fuel poverty in Scotland's rural areas.

Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive was represented on the Inter-Departmental Working Group on Extending the Gas Network. The group's work was taken into account in the preparation of the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy, which was published last November, and will be considered further in the implementation of the Scottish Executive Fuel Poverty Statement which will be published shortly.

Housing

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-3541 by Ms Margaret Curran on 6 June 2001, what independent monitoring will be put in place to ensure that any transfer of Scottish Homes properties in the Central Scotland parliamentary region fully complies with its Code of Practice for Tenant Participation in Stock Transfers .

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive has no plans to put in place any independent monitoring to ensure compliance with this voluntary Code of Practice.

Housing

Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is planning to initiate any discussions with local authorities about promoting the adoption of grounds and paths which are currently maintained by private owners where there are difficulties in ensuring adequate maintenance.

Ms Margaret Curran: There are no such plans at present and the Housing Improvement Task Force is currently considering all aspects of common and shared maintenance with a view to making property owners aware of their obligations and ensuring that effective arrangements for necessary work are in place.

Housing

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has asked the European Union for the Glasgow housing stock transfer proposals to be exempted from EU laws on competition, public procurement, monopolies and state aid.

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26146 by Ms Margaret Curran on 10 June 2002, when it expects to be in a position to respond fully.

Ms Margaret Curran: As the result of a complaint contained in a Petition to the EU Parliament, the Scottish Executive and the Department of Trade and Industry provided a joint response to the European Commission as to why the transfer of certain assets to the Glasgow Housing Association did not constitute state aid. We have now been advised that the Commission has rejected the state aid complaint.

Housing

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to make up any shortfall in investment in the event that there is insufficient funding from private sources to fund Glasgow Housing Association's investment programme.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive has already given a commitment to provide a repayable grant to support the Glasgow Housing Association's investment programme in the early years.

Housing

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what preparation it has made in the event that a re-ballot of tenants on the Glasgow housing stock transfer proposal is required.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive has not made any preparations for a re-ballot of tenants in respect of the Glasgow housing transfer.

Planning

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5139 by Hugh Henry on 9 May 2002, whether the Deputy Minister for Social Justice was able to assess outstanding planning applications in Ayrshire within the timescale of 11 to 12 May given in the answer.

Hugh Henry: The answer given to question S1O-5139 indicated that I would consider various planning applications throughout Ayrshire. I should make it clear these were not outstanding applications. Rather they were permissions for previous retail planning applications, many of which were granted prior to the issue of National Planning Policy Guidelines relating to retailing developments. Whilst that information has been assessed, other matters require to be given further consideration before a final decision can be made.

Planning

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will now confirm to Ayr United Football Club its consent for a new stadium at Heathfield as recommended by the public inquiry reporters.

Hugh Henry: The matter is still being considered.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25103 by Mr Jim Wallace on 21 June 2002, whether it intends to (a) commission new private prisons or young offenders institutions or (b) commission services from private prisons or young offenders institutions where it is possible to see from one wing to another, giving the reasons for its position on this matter.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  As stated in the answer given to question S1W-25103, being able to see from one wing of a prison to the other is not considered to be a problematic issue. It is therefore possible that in the event of any new private prison or young offenders institution being commissioned, it might incorporate this feature.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26897 by Mr Jim Wallace on 3 July 2002, what is meant in each case where the standard set is said to have been partially achieved.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  That, while progress has been made in working to achieve all aspects of the standard, the requirements of the standard have not been fully met.

Public Transport

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations this year from local authorities regarding the re-regulation of the bus industry and, if so, from which local authorities such representations were received.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has not received any formal representations from local authorities about the re-regulation of the bus industry.

Rail Safety

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) practical and (b) financial support it proposes to provide to take forward the rail industry's recent "railway crime week" campaign, broken down to show the timescale and targeted area of such support.

Lewis Macdonald: Rail safety and security are reserved matters. The Scottish Executive has no direct locus to intervene. However, the rail industry in Scotland has invited Scottish Ministers to show support by launching a number of campaigns, including the Railway Crime Week (17-23 June), in an effort to raise public awareness of railway crime. The Executive will respond positively to similar approaches from the industry in the future. Funding for these campaigns and for the British Transport Police is provided by the UK rail industry.

Rail Safety

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) practical and (b) financial aspects of its youth crime policy will be targeted to take forward the railway industry's recent "railway crime week" campaign, showing any timescales, targeted areas and any amounts.

Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27056. Our youth crime policy distributes funding to local authorities which are responsible for its allocation to appropriate youth justice initiatives. Rail crime campaigns are funded and implemented by the rail industry and the British Transport Police.

Rail Safety

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had about the Partners Against Railway Crime initiative and what resources are being made available to promote awareness of the dangers of railway crime.

Lewis Macdonald: Railway crime is a reserved matter. The Partners against Railway Crime campaign is funded by the UK rail industry. Whilst the Scottish Executive has no locus or powers to intervene, it has been invited by the rail industry to attend a number of railway crime events to raise public awareness of railway crime in Scotland.

Rail Safety

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the Strategic Rail Authority and what issues were discussed.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Strategic Rail Authority on a wide range of issues of mutual interest.

Rail Safety

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to work in partnership with Her Majesty's Government, local authorities and other relevant bodies to promote safety across the rail network.

Lewis Macdonald: Safety on the rail network is a reserved matter. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government, local authorities and other relevant bodies about a wide range of issues, including safety.

Roads

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the first supplementary question to S1O-5607 by Lewis Macdonald on 13 June 2002, when the surveys of the condition of non-trunk roads will begin; whether all local authority areas will be covered; which organisations will carry out such surveys; when the results will be published, and what steps it will consider taking following publication of the results.

Lewis Macdonald: Responsibility for non-trunk roads, including the carrying out of a survey of the non-trunk road network, lies with each council as the local roads authority for its area. The Scottish Executive fully supports the Society of Chief Officers of Transport in Scotland's (SCOTS) condition survey of the local road network across Scotland. The management of the survey is a matter for SCOTS, but I understand that it is now under way and that it will cover all local authorities in Scotland. The Scottish Executive will keep closely in touch with the process and will, of course, consider the results once they are available.

Roads

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussion there has been with Public Private Partnership bidders for the A77 upgrade with respect to the provision of a business retail park in north Kilmarnock.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is not aware of any discussions with the Public Private Partnership bidders for the A77 upgrade with respect to any development in north Kilmarnock.

Science

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a new Children's Science Centre should be established within the Highlands and, if so, what work requires to be done in order to investigate the feasibility of such an initiative; whether there will be a feasibility plan and, if so, whether the Highland Council will be responsible for arranging the plan, and what the cost would be and whether the Scottish Executive would fund the cost.

Iain Gray: Questions relating to any proposed new science centre would be an issue for those making the proposal. The Executive has no plans to provide funding for any new science centres.

Scottish Executive Advertising

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on advertising by each ministerial department in each year since May 1999 and how it measures the effectiveness of such advertising.

Mr Andy Kerr: The advertising spend by each ministerial department since May 1999 is listed in the following tables. The methods used to measure the effectiveness of advertising are:

  Qualitative research pre-campaign to test the effectiveness of the advertising

  Qualitative research post-campaign to test awareness, recall and reaction

  Response mechanism e.g. websites, telephone helplines, call centres

  Attitudinal tracking through quantitative research

  Feedback via third parties

  Statistical take-up response

  Additionally, to ensure that the advertising reaches the target audiences, the selection of media is influenced by independently audited data.

  


1999-2000




 


Media Spend
(£)


 


Media Spend
(£)




Justice Dept


Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries




Domestic Abuse


180,293


Food Safety


109,675




Electoral Registration


25,036


Total


109,675




European Elections


30,217


 


 




Children's Hearings


85,609


Education and Industry




Fire Prevention


136,313


Teacher Recruitment


83,763




Total


457,468


Road Safety


663,538




 


 


Child Care


63,844




 


 


Total


811,145




 


 


 


 




 


 


Overall Total


1,378,288




  


2000-01




 


Media Spend
(£)


 


Media Spend
(£)




Health


Environment and Transport




Alcohol Abuse


220,900


Road Safety


1,060,366




Food Safety


25,658


Travel Awareness (Learn to let go)


175,000




Lead in Water


61,752


Safer Scotland


140,119




NHS Fraud


121,942


Total


1,375,485




NHS Helpline


131,578


 


 




Drugs


54,114


Education




Flu


580,546


Child Care


119,117




Organ Retention


53,597


Children's Panels


105,408




Total


1,250,087


Total


225,325




 


 


 


 




Justice


 


 




Fire Prevention


144,824


 


 




Domestic Abuse


385,830


 


 




Fostering


32,443


 


 




Total


563,097


Overall Total


3,413,994




  


2001-02




 


Media Spend
(£)


 


Media Spend
(£)




Health


Environment and Transport




Alcohol Abuse


229,145


Road Safety


1,340,164




NHS Fraud


29,920


Travel Awareness


317,010




NHS Helpline


110,495


Environment (climate change/waste management)


1,148,023




Drugs


1,175,509


Litter


118,934




Flu


566,093


Total


2,924,131




Suicide among Young Men


23,500


 


 




Children's Panel


201,581


Education




Total


2,336,243


Teacher Recruitment


310,965




 


 


Total


310,965




Justice


 


 




Fire Prevention


297,465


 


 




Domestic Abuse


548,943


 


 




Child Protection on the Internet


186,303


 


 




Total


1,032,711


Overall Total


6,604,050




  


2002-03 (to date)




 


Media Spend
(£)


 


Media Spend
(£)




Health


Environment and Transport




Alcohol Abuse


696,993


Road Safety


565,213




NHS Helpline


56,576


Travel Aware


243,843




Drugs


490,122


Total


809,056




Suicide among Young Men


45,481


 


 




Free Personal Care


243,941


Education




Organ Retention


80,671


Funding for Learners


100,213




Total


1,613,784


National Debate


228,718




 


 


Total


328,931




Justice


 


 




Crime Brakers


20,273


Enterprise and Lifelong Learning




Domestic Abuse


8,913


Digital Access


37,560




Total


29,186


Total


37,560




 


 


 


 




 


 


Overall Total


2,809,517

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24724 by Ms Margaret Curran on 20 May 2002, whether any monies indicated as underspends have been (a) reallocated to other projects or priorities or (b) re-absorbed into central funds.

Hugh Henry: The underspends within the Social Inclusion Partnerships programme of £2.2 million in 1999-2000 and £2.6 million in 2000-01 were subject to the End Year Flexibility arrangements, resulting in a carry forward within the partnerships programme of £1.5 million and £2.1 million respectively. Information on underspends in 2001-02 is not yet available.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24724 by Ms Margaret Curran on 20 May 2002, how the spending of social inclusion partnerships is monitored.

Hugh Henry: The spending of Social Inclusion Partnerships is monitored by Communities Scotland, based upon quarterly financial returns submitted by grant recipients (usually local authorities) and annual reports made by each Social Inclusion Partnership.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24724 by Ms Margaret Curran on 20 May 2002, how the underspend or overspend was calculated in each case.

Hugh Henry: The underspend or the overspend reported in the answer given to question S1W-24724 was calculated by comparing the budget allocation with the outcome expenditure recorded for each Social Inclusion Partnership in a dedicated database of budget allocations and expenditure.

Waste Management

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it plans to set in respect of the reduction, composting and reuse of waste.

Ross Finnie: The Executive intends to set overall targets for waste reduction, recycling etc. as part of the National Waste Plan later this year. The levels of the targets will be informed by integration of the 11 draft Area Waste Plans that have been developed as part of the National Waste Strategy. This will ensure that the Best Practicable Environmental Option for dealing with waste in each area has been taken into account before targets are established.

Waste Management

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the National Waste Strategy, whether waste may be moved from an area of poor recycling to an area of high recycling.

Ross Finnie: There is no restriction on movement of waste from one area to another within the UK although the National Waste Strategy aims to establish the overall Best Practicable Environmental Option for dealing with waste.

Waste Management

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the National Waste Strategy, what plans there are for best practice in waste management to be adopted nationwide.

Ross Finnie: The Executive has allocated £50.4 million, over three years, to the Strategic Waste Fund to assist local authorities in implementing the National Waste Strategy and ensuring that the Best Practicable Environmental Option is used for waste in Scotland. The Executive also intends, as part of the forthcoming Local Government Bill, to place duty on local authorities to prepare Integrated Waste Management Plans incorporating statutory targets set by the Executive. This will ensure standards are achieved.

Waste Management

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the National Waste Strategy, whether local authorities will be allowed to take waste from outside Scotland and how the costs of dealing with any such imported waste will be funded.

Ross Finnie: It is generally illegal to import waste, for disposal, from outside the UK. However, waste operators, including local authorities which operate waste facilities, may accept waste from anywhere within the UK if they choose to do so, provided they remain within the terms of their licences. They will normally recover the treatment or disposal costs from the waste producer by making a charge for accepting the waste.

  Resources will be provided by the Executive to local authorities from the Strategic Waste Fund (SWF) to assist them in dealing more sustainably with the waste that they collect in their area. Funding from the SWF will only be granted to schemes that follow the Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) as outlined in Area Waste Plans. The BPEO is arrived at through consideration of a number of factors including the principles of proximity and self-sufficiency.

Waste Management

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the National Waste Strategy, what the deadline is for production of local area plans on waste development and what penalties will be imposed if such plans are not produced on time.

Ross Finnie: Eleven draft Area Waste Plans have now been prepared and are publicly available on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency website:

  (http://www.sepa.org.uk/nws/guidance/dawp.htm).

  These draft plans are currently being integrated to produce a National Waste Plan for Scotland. This should be available later in 2002. There are no specific deadlines or penalties for production of the Area Waste Plans.

Waste Management

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what stage the local area plans on waste development have reached.

Ross Finnie: Eleven draft Area Waste Plans have now been prepared and are publicly available on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency website:

  (http://www.sepa.org.uk/nws/guidance/dawp.htm).

  The next stage is the integration of the 11 plans into a National Waste Plan (which should be available by the end of 2002) and finalising the Area Plans.